There are a whole slew of issues with the Minnesota Vikings search for a new stadium, notably the budget deficit that the state has.

But one other issue is whether or not a new stadium should have a roof, which would add a couple hundred million dollars to the cost. The Vikings say no, while most lawmakers – reportedly – say yes.

The Vikings are willing to pay a third of the cost of a roofless stadium but contribute nothing toward any additional costs for a roof, according to this story.

I can understand where the team is coming from. For eight home dates a year, why would they want to spend money on a roof. But from my perspective, what good does it do to have a third brand-new roofless stadium in the Twin Cities.

That stadium would have a big advantage over Target Field and TCF Bank Stadium during the winter months when it comes to drawing concerts, monster truck rallies, what-have-you, if it has a roof.